Molding press



Dec. 14, 1965 R. BOGGILD ETAL 3,222,723

MOLDING PRESS Filed Feb. 26, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 14, 1965 R. BOGGILD ETAL 3,222,,3

MOLDING PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1963 BY% W%MM Dec. 14, 1965 R. BOGGILD ETAL 3,222,723

MOLDING PRESS Filed Feb. 26, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 N VEN TORi 24/ 2- m nit-ed States Patent 3,222,723 MOLDING PRESS Robert Boggild and Wiiliam L. Dale, both of 5463 Hill & Dale Drive, Cincinnati 13, Ohio Filed Feb. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 261,163 Claims. (Ci. 18*16) This application is a continuation-in-part of our application Serial No. 179,325, filed March 13, 1962, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to a press for molding 3-dimensional figures from modeling compound.

The invention here is directed, at least in part, to supplying the creativity desires of children. Modeling compounds such as clay and the like provide one source of satisfaction for those desires but it is the more imaginative children who find work with modeling compound to be the most rewarding. The less imaginative children tend to tire rapidly of such activity when there are no guide lines for their work.

The objective of the invention has been to provide a toy by which all children can form quite interesting and real objects. More particularly, the invention is directed to a press having removable die members with which selected 3dimensional objects such as toy soldiers, farm animals and the like can be molded. This objective embraces the provision of a molding device for modeling compound comprising two dies, each forming approximately one-half of the figure to be molded and a press in which the dies are mounted and by which the dies are brought together to form a 3-dimensional figure.

For a toy of this type to enjoy widespread use, it must meet a number of conditions. It must be inexpensive, and in this respect, it must be capable of being molded from plastic so that its materials cost Will be as low as possible. The design and relationship of the plastic elements must be such that the device will be quite rugged in order that it can withstand the rough usage which it will be given by children.

Because the invention is designed to be used by even quite young children, it has been another objective of the invention to provide a molding press with interchangeable dies which is so simple in its operation and die changing system that it can be operated with a minimum of frustrating errors.

In this regard, the matter of die changes and die alignment is of paramount importance. This objective of the invention then contemplates the provision of guide means and a keying system through which the insertion of the dies easily and in the proper orientation with respect to each other is assured. Still further, the invention contemplates the color coding of the dies so that pairs of dies which mate have identical colors which distinguish them from dies for different figures.

It has been another objective of the invention to provide a press having a movable die-holding platen, the movable platen having means for holding it in an open or elevated position to facilitate die changes as well as the application of modeling compound and removal of molded objects.

It is still a further objective of the invention to provide a lever and linkage system for moving the movable platen toward a fixed platen holding a fixed die, the linkage providing a rapid movement of the member in the first stage of operation and a slower but more powerful movement in the final stage of operation. Through this objective, it is possible for a child to apply the greatest amount of power to the press at the time when it is most needed, that is, when the modeling compound is actually being formed by the pressure of the movement of the dies toward each other.

These and other objectives of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detail description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention with the dies in closed position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention with the dies in open position.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional View taken along lines 7--7 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 88 of FIG. 6.

General description Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the press of the invention has a base 10 having upwardly projecting mounting posts 11 on which a movable platen 12 is slidably mounted. A bell crank lever 13 is pivoted at its apex as at 14 to the movable platen and has an operating arm 15 extending over the base 10. The other arm 16 is pivoted at each side by a pin 18 to one end 19 of a tension link 20. The other end 21 of the tension link is pivoted by a pin 22 to the base 10. The swinging of the arm 15 on bell crank lever 13 from the position of FIG. 1 to the position of FIG. 2 causes the movement of the movable platen in a vertical direction to open the dies. Reversal of the movement causes the movable platen to move downwardly to bring the dies into engagement with each other.

The dies The base It) is adapted to removably receive a fixed or lower die 24 and the platen 12 is adapted to removably receive a movable or upper die 25. The upper and lower dies have identically configurated bases 26 by which they are mounted. There is, therefore, no importance to be attached to the matter of which die is in the upper position and which is in the lower position. They can be interchanged and in this respect, it reduces the difficulty which children might have in inserting the dies in the proper position. Preferably mating dies have the same color which distinguishes them from other die pairs for molding different objects.

In plan view, the dies are rectangularly configurated, having a leading edge 28, a trailing edge 29 and side edges 30 which are tapered from the trailing edge toward the leading edge. (The leading edge being that edge which is first inserted into the platen or base.) The slight taper facilitates the introduction of the dies into the proper position. Lugs 33 project to the sides of the trailing edge 29 at the corners of the base 26 and provide key means which prevents the introduction of the dies into the press in the wrong direction.

At diagonally opposite corners of the dies, a male aligning post 35 and a female aligning post 36 projected perpendicularly from the base 26 of each die. The corresponding posts of each die mate with each other in ball and socket fashion in order to bring the dies into precise alignment when the press is closed during the molding process.

Projecting upwardly from the center of each die base 26 is an irregular wall 38 which defines a mold cavity 39. The mold cavity may be adapted to form one or more figures. The upper edges 40 of the walls 38 on the respective dies mate with each other in order to substantially complete the mold cavity when the press is closed and to provide as little flash as possible on the molded object.

The base The base and its posts 11 are molded from a suitable plastic, the base 10 being in the form of an inverted dish. The rearward area of the base which receives the lower fixed die has a rib 43 which has a configuration similar to the configuration of the base 26 of each die, the configuration particularly including recesses 44 at the rearward corners which receive the lugs 33 projecting from the rearward edge of the die base.

The rib 43 is adapted to receive the lower die and retain it against horizontal movement. It should be understood that a recess molded into the surface of the base could serve as well as the rib 43. In either case the fit of the die into the rib or recess should be loose enough for its easy introduction, with reliance being had on the aligning posts for final alignment of the dies.

The forward area of the upper surface of base 10 has a grillwork of ribs indicated at 45, the upper surface of the grillwork lying in the same plane as the configurated die receiving rib 43. The grillwork permits the lower or fixed die 24 to be set on the grillwork and slid forwardly into position within the confines of the configurated rib 43 thus facilitating the introduction of the fixed die into the press.

The posts 11 which are molded as an integral part of base 10 have inwardly facing ways 50 which slidably receive the movable platen 12. The upper end of each way has a slot 51 having two spaced apertures 52 and 53 as shown in FIG. 7. A leaf spring 54 is positioned in each slot with its ends hooked over shoulders 55 formed in each aperture 52 and 53 to fix the spring in position. The springs 54 project inwardly from the ways 50 into engagement with the platen 12 when it is moved to elevated position.

At the lower end of each way 50 is an inwardly projecting lug 56 so positioned to prevent inadvertent lifting of the lower die 24 without impeding the movement of the upper die 25. When the platen 12 is raised after a molding operation, the lugs 56 will engage the lower die and any expelled modeling compound and hold it against the base for easy removal of the modeling compound.

On the outside of each post and at its base, a truss member 57 is fixed between the post and the base and receives the lower end 21 of the link between the truss member and the outside surface of the post 11. The truss member has molded integrally with it the pivot pin 22 which projects through a hole in the lower end 21 of link 20 and into a hole 58 in the wall of the post 11 to form the pivotal mounting of the lower end of link 20.

Movable platen The movable platen 12 is generally rectangularly configurated in plan view and has generally triangular side walls 60 having vertical recesses at 61 as best shown in FIG. 5. The vertical recesses 61 receive the ways 50 on posts 11 to guide the platen in its vertical movement.

Spaced inwardly from the side walls 60 are two spaced bearing blocks 62 covered by bearing caps 63. The bearing blocks receive a pin on each side of the bellcrank lever 13 to form the pivotal connection 14.

At the front corners of the platen are L-shaped guides 65 having flanges 66 which receive the leading edge 28 of the die base 26 as it is introduced into the platen. Spaced inwardly from the L-shaped guides 65 are triangular guides 67 having inclined surfaces 68 which are engageable by the leading edge of the upper die as it is introduced into the platen. The guides 65 and 67 cooperate to funnel the upper die into the proper position as it is pushed toward the platen.

Referring to FIG. 5, the undersurface of the platen is illustrated and shows a series of spaced inwardly directed tabs or flanges 70 along each side of the platen. These tabs are spaced downwardly from the lower surface 71 of the platen as illustrated in FIG. 8. The tabs 70 and the lower surface of the platen form between them a space 72 which receives the side edges 30 of the upper die base 26 and holds it in proper position during the molding operation. A depending flange 73 at the rear edge of the platen limits the movement of the upper die to a position directly above the lower die.

Bellcrank lever The bellcrank lever has a pair of bearing arms 75 extending parallel to its arm 16. The ends of the bearing arms 75 terminate adjacent the apex of the bellcrank lever and have a bearing pin 76 (FIG. 7) extending between them. The bearing pin 76 is lodged in the bearing block 62 and confined there by the bearing strap 63. As indicated above, the end of the arm 16 of bellcrank lever 13 is pivoted to the end 19 of link 20 by the pin 18.

Operation In operation, a child first slides a lower die plate along the rib grillwork 45 toward the rear of the press until it drops into the configurated rib 43 thus positioning it in the base of the press. The remaining die of the same color has its leading edge introduced between the funneling guides 65 and 67 and is then pushed into the space 72 between the lower surface 71 of the platen and the tab '70. When the die strikes the depending flange 73 at the rear edge of the platen, the die is in proper position.

At this point, the child takes a small portion of modeling compound and making a pancake of it sets it on top of the lower die 24. The positioning does not have to be particularly precise for if there is a sufiicient excess of the modeling compound, the pressure of the upper die moving toward the lower die will cause the modeling compound to flow into all of the recesses of the mold cavity. In applying the modeling compound the child might find it preferable to slide the die 24 out onto the grillwork 45, and after applying the compound, to return the die to its molding position.

During the positioning of the dies and the introduction of the modeling compound, the movable platen 12 is retained in the uppermost position by the engagement of the springs 54 with the slotted side walls 60 of the platen and thus it is out of the way of interference with the operation.

When the modeling compound has been positioned on the lower die, the lever 15 is swung downwardly to close the dies. In swinging downwardly, the tension link 20 acts as a moving fulcrum about which the bellcrank lever 13 is swung with pressure being applied from the apex of the bellcrank lever to the platen bearing block 62. The ways 50 cooperating with the slots 61 maintain the platen in a horizontal position and confine its movements in a vertical direction.

As the die is moved into engagement, the cooperating aligning posts assure the precise seating of the dies with respect to each other. In this last portion of the stroke, the linkage and lever systern cooperate to permit the application of a considerable force by the upper die onto the lower die to enable even a quite small child to force the modeling compound to distribute itself throughout the modeling cavity.

After the molding operation, the lever 15 is lifted and the exposed lower die which has the molded object can be slid forward onto the grillwork 45. In this position it is easy to remove the molded objects and to remove the flash which occurs during the molding operation.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy press comprising,

a base,

a lower die mounted on said base and having a mold cavity,

a pair of spaced mounting posts projecting upwardly from said base and having their ends free,

vertically extending ways projecting inwardly from said posts and having their upper ends free,

a platen mounted between said posts for vertical movement with respect to said base and having vertical recesses receiving said ways,

an upper die mounted on said platen and having a mold cavity facing said lower die,

and a lever and linkage system for moving said platen toward said lower die to bring said dies into engagement.

2. A toy press comprising,

a base having a horizontally upwardly facing surface,

a lower die having a mold cavity and an irregularly configurated peripheral edge on the bottom of said die,

a rib projecting upwardly from said surface of said base,

said rib having a configuration matching the peripheral edge of said die whereby said die can be seated only in one preselected orientation within the confines of said rib and retained against substantial horizontal movement,

a platen mounted for vertical movement on said base,

an upper die mounted on said platen and having a mold cavity facing said lower die,

said upper die having a peripheral edge configuration identical to that of said lower die,

means on said platen permitting only one preselected orientation of said upper die on said platen,

said dies being interchangeably mountable in upper and lower positions,

and a lever and linkage system for moving said platen toward said lower die to bring said dies into engagement.

3. A press according to claim 2 further comprising a network of ribs on said base adjacent said configurated rib to provide a surface from which a die may he slid into said configurated rib.

4. A toy press comprising,

a base,

a lower die mounted on said base and having a mold cavity,

a pair of posts projecting vertically from said base,

each post having an inwardly facing way,

a platen, said platen having at opposed sides a vertical slot receiving said ways,

an upper die mounted on said platen and having a mold cavity facing said lower die,

and a lever and linkage system for moving said platen toward said lower die to bring said dies into engagement,

said system including a pair of links, each pivoted at one end to said base or an axis intersecting said ways, and

a lever pivoted at one end to the other ends of said links and pivoted intermediate its ends to said platen on an axis intersecting said ways, said lever having a free end providing a handle for the operation of the press.

5. In a toy press, a die receiving platen comprising,

a generally rectangular member having a lower surface,

tabs on the side edges of said member spaced from said lower surface to receive and retain the side edges of a die plate,

an L-shaped guide projecting from each of the front corners of said platen and providing a flange lying in the same plane as said tabs,

and at least one guide element projecting from the front edge of said member and providing an inclined surface disposed immediately above said lower surface to form with said flanges a funnel to guide a die into said platen.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 599,601 2/1898 Freck 25-87 1,278,835 9/1918 Bewley 25-37 1,559,884 11/1925 Kasch 18-16 2,006,666 7/1935 Bridgett 18-42 2,496,771 2/1950 Bolling 18-16 2,589,442 3/1952 Siegrist 18-42 2,792,592 5/ 1957 McGee 18-16 2,820,250 1/ 1958 Stratton 18-16 3,015,848 1/ 1962 Hollfritsch 18-16 3,075,246 1/1963 Stiller 18-42 3,137,897 6/1964 Coyle 18-33 FOREIGN PATENTS 937,882 3/ 1948 France.

831,158 3/ 1960 Great Britain.

WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Primary Examiner.

MICHAEL V. BRINDISI, Examiner. 

1. A TOY PRESS COMPRISING, A BASE, A LOWER DIE MOUNTED ON SAID BASE AND HAVING A MOLD CAVITY, A PAIR OF SPACED MOUNTING POSTS PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE AND HAVING THEIR ENDS FREE, VERTICALLY EXTENDING WAYS PROJECTING INWARDLY FROM SAID POSTS AND HAVING THEIR UPPER ENDS FREE, A PLATEN MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID POSTS FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE AND HAVING VERTICAL RECESSES RECEIVING SAID WAYS, AN UPPER DIE MOUNTED ON SAID PLATEN AND HAVING A MOLD CAVITY FACING SAID LOWER DIE, AND A LEVER AND LINKAGE SYSTEM FOR MOVING SAID PLATEN TOWARD SAID LOWER DIE TO BRING SAID DIES INTO ENGAGEMENT. 